Re: Bud Stevenson’s global climate story

With regard to Bud Stevenson’s recent analysis of global climate change being a myth perpetrated by Al Gore, I’m afraid that may be an oversimplification of the problem.

One of my heroes is a scientist and mathematician by the name of John von Neuman (1903-57). He was famous for his brilliant mind. His origin is Hungarian and he is still celebrated for his enormous yet unparalleled contribution to the field of physics, mathematics, economics and computing.

One of his goals was to develop the mathematics required to enable long-range weather forecasting. Early in the game, he came to the realization that it was impossible, primarily due to turbulence, thus causing the weather patterns to behave in a chaotic manner.

If John von Neuman got stuck on it, I seriously doubt if either Mr. Stevenson or I can come up with it.

One more time: There are some physical principles that cannot be ignored. One is the effect of carbon dioxide gas on the ambient temperature. The energy from our sun is a mixture of wavelengths, one of which is infrared, that makes itself known to us as heat. The infrared light reflected back into the atmosphere is opaque to carbon dioxide. So the heat has no place to go.

Our sister planet, Venus, is a classic example of this. Venus is blanketed by a thick layer of carbon dioxide, with dispersed particles of sulfuric acid. The ambient temperature is about 900 degrees. Analyzing sections of ice cores in the Antarctic shield seem to show an increase in carbon dioxide over the past 50 years or so, however, admittedly there are several different interpretations of the time.

I urge Mr. Stevenson to divorce politics from science. Facts are facts. He shouldn’t feel badly about this. I would flunk any test he gave me about Wall Street.

The MisterApril 27, 2014 - 6:59 am

Teach5thApril 27, 2014 - 10:56 am

Jim - The problem with "facts" is that too many "facts" are hidden from the public because they don't support the premise of some scientists who want us to believe in global "warming". Obama recently stated that it is a FACT that global "climate change" is occurring. This is the same guy who KNEW so much that wasn't factual about his own precious law. Remember "if you like your doctor . . ." I know CD will write that I have no business being a teacher if I cite once again Obama's "fact" that there isn't a smidgen of truth to the IRS targeting conservatives. You can take politics out of global "warming" only if you admit there's something weird going on when the all-knowing climatologists who push the theory of "warming" and switch it to "climate change." Why did they do that, do you suppose? You can take politics out of the discussion if you can explain to me why those who are foisting their beliefs about "warming" on the general public, and thus hoping to get us out of our exhaust-spewing cars, fly around the country/world thus spewing far more emissions into our atmosphere. You can talk to me about taking politics out of the discussions re:change/warming when those scientists (and Al Gore) have a nationally televised debate against those scientists who disagree with them. At least, then, people would get a balanced picture of the "facts". But don't hold your breath waiting for the televised discussion, because in reality, you can't take politics out of it.